


Not To Be Claimed

by Comet96



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-20
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-23 16:39:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8334763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Comet96/pseuds/Comet96
Summary: Bunny rabbits are seen as soft, fluffy and adorable on the outside but on the inside they are viscous, aggressive and down-right defensive.Joe had always called her Bunny, did that mean he saw what she really held inside or was it his way of making her look like an adorable little follower?Bunny never agreed with what Joe did when he was leading the Claimers, and she sure as hell didn't want to stay with them, but he gave her the protection she needed from the decaying world. he protected her from the rotters and he protects her from the Claimers and men like them.How is everything going to change for her when Rick kills the group protecting her and she's thrust into the dying world with the survivors from the prison?





	1. Along Came A Wild Thing

**Author's Note:**

> For my own reasons I have changed the ages of a few of the characters in this story. I'm sure none of you will mind and if you do, you don't have to read.

I don’t know why they chose this house; it might have been because out of the ones we passed by it looked the most welcoming. I knew that it wasn’t the reason Joe led the men towards it, probably because it looked like there had been some activity here within the last couple of days. I wouldn’t argue with them anyway, not after last time. My fingers rubbed over the markings on my left arm, feeling the ache as I shifted my shoulder. I suppose it was my own fault really, for arguing with Joe again.

“Get in here Bunny!” Joe exclaimed, looking to me as I stood on the porch, watching as the others roamed around in the open living area.

“Don’t call me that!” I snapped at him feeling the courage I had before the world ended pouring back into me. “You know that’s not my name!” Joe, it seemed didn’t appreciate my tongue. He stepped forward, grabbing hold of my loose curls as he tugged my head up so my green eyes would lock onto his cool, grey ones.

“I’ll call you whatever I want girl!” he spat, flecks of his spit covering my face as he gripped my hair tighter. “You’re family Bunny, but I sure as hell didn’t have to bring ya with me. Remember the rules? You shut your god damn mouth and stay or ya leave and I’ll let these boys claim you.” His words were a reminder of why I stuck around with him.

When this all broke out, the rotters coming back to eat us, I was at home, waiting for my dad to get back. He never turned up but Joe did instead. He came to see if my dad was back, probably believing that he had a great chance of survival with my army dad but instead found me, his week little fourteen-year-old niece.  I think he felt like he had to take care of me, my mom was his sister after all and I knew how he cared for her before she died.

I left with him because I thought it would be safer with him, but I guess I was wrong. It was fine the first couple of months on the road, we stayed with a few groups, always ending up the only survivors at the end, but then everything changed when he met Tony and Dan.

The two of them we found in a small town, fighting a small group of rotters, Joe helped them out and then they suddenly felt like they owed him their lives, which my uncle loved. They started this thing called Claiming when it became clear to my uncle that Dan had this thing for me. Ever since then, the group grew, sometimes people would get killed because they broke the rules Joe made up and other times they’d get killed for their stuff.

In the eyes of my uncle it was a win-win world and there was a need for these new rules. In my eyes it was inhumane what they were doing to people to survive and I felt disgusted with them when they took these poor women out into the woods, had their way with them and left them for dead.

“You understand Bunny?” Joe asked shaking me from my thoughts as he grabbed hold of my chin tightly waiting for my answer.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered looking him straight in the eye as I spoke. He let go of my face, caressing my cheek gently before smacking his palm against the side of my face. I guess I did deserve that one.

“Never speak out to me again and don’t ya dare lie!” he grunted pushing away from me and towards the kitchen. I sighed, running my fingers over my burning cheek as I nodded at his words. My eyes locked with Len’s and I looked away quickly grimacing as he licked his lips as he gazed at me. When it came to Len I was more than happy that my uncle had stated that I was not to be claimed. I could never go through what those women went through.

* * *

 

“Bunny! Get out here!” Joe called about half an hour into our stay at the house. I pushed up off of the couch, rushing out the front door as Joe called for me. I couldn’t, no I wouldn’t let him hit me again.

“Yes?” I asked noting how weak my voice sounded as I watched my uncle dip his spoon into a can of beans.

“Make me a sandwich,” he ordered nodding his head towards the house. I paused not knowing whether he was being serious. Surely he knew there was no bread. Did he expect me to make bread? Without ingredients?

“You need bread to make a sandwich,” I muttered flinching as he rose to his feet quickly. I knew what was coming and closed my eyes as his hand collided with my face, marking the same cheek he hit before. My head turned to the right as his palm hit against my left cheek. My eyes were stinging but I wouldn’t cry. I was somewhat used to this by now. Almost a year and a half of beatings had you reigning in your pain tolerance. “I’m sorry,” I whispered ducking my head down so I wouldn’t have to look at him.

“You wouldn’t have to apologise if you-” he was cut off by yelling in the house. Joe grabbed hold of my arm, tugging me into the house with him as he rushed off to find out what was wrong. I stood there by the door, blinking harshly as the tears threatened to slip down my cheeks.

“You’re still a sweet, sweet, bunny rabbit all marked up like that,” Len mumbled in my ear as he stood close behind me, his hand tucking my hair behind my ear. I stood still, closing my eyes again as he brought his face close to mine. His lips brushed over my ear and I could swear he licked me. “I saw you out there, all feisty. I got to say when I first saw you a year ago, I never thought you’d be like other red-heads, but boy was I wrong.” Creep. Creep. Creep. My stomach lurched at the thought of this man touching me anywhere else and I was thankful when Joe called out for a group meeting upstairs. I rushed away from Len, not even bothering to look back as I climbed the stairs.

* * *

 

I don’t know how they managed to let some man escape in this house. Surely they would have thought about looking around, checking that the place was clear before settling in for the night? I guess luck wasn’t on their side though and to be honest I was kind of happy that this mystery man had managed to kill Lou. That meant there was one less guy for me to worry about.

There would be a time when I’d have to worry about these guys. Probably the day Joe died and his rules died with him. Especially the rule where I wouldn’t be touched.

I glanced around the room I was in now, while I waited for Joe and the others to gather the rest of the things from downstairs. I could tell it belonged to a teenager, the video games and console enough to tell me that. My eyes settled on the bag on the bed. Something told me that it didn’t belong to the kid that owned this room.

My fingers brushed along the waterproof material of the bag, picking it up feeling the weightless feel of the bag. Was there anything in here? I wonder who used it last. What was their name?

“Who cares?” I grumbled under my breath opening the bag up and looking into it. There was a knife, no bigger than the hunting knife I had strapped onto my belt but I could tell that this one was different. The handle of the knife wasn’t like the one I had, no this one was personalised. The initials H.G imprinted on the handle. Inside there was also a bottle of water, half empty and a few packets of crackers, a comic – an issue with Wolverine – and a new pair of socks with the phrase ‘Fuck this Shit!’ repeated over in different font sizes. I let out a little chuckle before sliding my heavier pack off my back and slipping this bag into it. I might need the bag sometime in the future.

“Bunny! Get your ass down ‘ere. We’re leaving!” Joe yelled from the bottom floor announcing that it was time for us to hit the road again. I thought his plan was stupid, going after the guy that had killed Lou but I wasn’t really going to argue with him. I didn’t want to earn another bruise because I spoke against him.

* * *

 

“Well lookit here,” Joe muttered looking down at the man on the floor as the others circled around him, aiming their weapons at the man. Couldn’t they see that he wasn’t going to hurt them, I could tell he was tired and wasn’t going to put up much of a fight? Joe reached down then to take the guys crossbow when he jumped up, punched Joe in the face, knocking him on his ass and aimed the bow at him. So I guess I was mistaken about him not having any fight left. This guy’s movements had the other guys raised their weapons, each of them ready to fire. “Damn it, hold up!” Joe shouted not wanting them to fire without his word.

I shifted on my feet watching them on the tracks where Joe had told me to wait. He never let me get too close when they did this sort of thing. I guess he didn’t want me to be used as leverage in case someone got ideas that maybe they could bargain with me.

“I’m claiming the vest,” Len shouted out taking claim to anything he could before the others thought of doing it. His eyes drifted over to me as he smirked. “I like them wings.” I shivered at his words getting the feeling he meant something different about his them.

“Hold up.” Joe repeated again wiping the blood from his nose before breaking into hysterics. I guess this was the time the man had decided to go crazy. God I hope he wasn’t; I don’t think I’d be able to put up with these assholes for long if he died. “A bowman, I respect that.” He went on looking at the man as he tilted his head to the side. The guy’s eyes locked with me as I shifted once again on the track before looking back to Joe as he spoke again. “See, a man with a rifle, he could have been some kind of photographer or soccer coach back in the day. But a bowman's a bowman through and through. What you got there, 150-pound draw weight? I'll be donkey-licked if that don't fire at least 300 feet per second. I've been looking for a weapon like that. Of course, I'd want one with a bit more ammo and minus the oblongata stains.” I guess I forgot that Joe knew a lot more than he let on. That was kind of what he did back in the old world before the rotters attacked. I don’t actually now what his job was but I knew that he was a know it all and could convince people to do his bidding. I guess that could be seen with these stupid followers he’s got now.

“Get yourself in some trouble, partner?” Len asked chuckling at his own words as he leant forward slightly. Could someone kill him? Maybe we could leave him behind for some rotters to finish.

“You pull that trigger; these boys are gonna drop you several times over. That what you want?” Joe asked him and I knew that he was already playing this guy. It would take time for Joe to use that crossbow, take a while for him to handle the weapon but here was this guy here, a biker no doubt from his attire, that could already wield the weapon. Joe loved getting new weapons but he loved getting a follower that could handle the weapon better. “Come on, fella, suicide is stupid. Why hurt yourself when you can hurt other people? Name's Joe.” He concluded using similar words to what he always used when trying to gain a new member.

“Daryl,” the guy stated lowering his weapon. I sighed in disappointment as he kind of gave into Joe’s wishes. Just another guy. Another one that would hurt innocent people out there. Just another guy I’d have to watch out for.

“It’s great that you decided to join us Daryl,” Joe went on clapping his hands together, rubbing them lightly as he picked up his bag, nodding his head. “Great, great, let me introduce you to the boys.” He nodded towards Tony, his right hand man. “Tony, Harley, Dan, Billy and Len. We’re the Claimers.” Daryl nodded at his words, biting his cheek as he flickered his eyes around the men in the group before they settled on me again. Joe turned his head, obviously taking note that Daryl was looking at me. “Ah, yeah, _Her_. Bunny get over here!” I sighed, tugging on my bag before following his orders. I was tired and I couldn’t be bothered with this anymore. “This Daryl, this is my niece, Bunny.” Joe sent me a look, one that I had seen many times before. I guess he kind of used me to keep his guys around. I’d have to play ‘host’ for a couple of days, keep them wanting to stay and then hopefully Joe would do the rest. I guess it worked well on Len, I was still waiting for him to realise it would never happen.

“Hi,” I muttered giving him a smile, knowing that it was probably weird for a sixteen-year-old to seem interested in him. Or not because Len sure thought it was okay for a sixteen-year-old to have a thing for a thirty-six-year-old.

“Hmm,” he grumbled not actually saying hello but at least he replied. I could already tell that Daryl was a silent one, rather to be the one to watch instead of saying anything. I guess he was a lot like me at the moment. Sure I wanted to have my say but while I was with Joe it would always result in me getting a beating.

“Come on, let’s hit the road,” Joe declared nodding towards the direction we would be heading in. Probably the direction the guy that had killed Lou had gone in. I hope we didn’t catch up with him. He didn’t deserve what Joe had ready to dish out.

* * *

 

That night we camped in the woods, just like almost every other night since the outbreak. The guys set up rotter traps around the area we had for camp, before ‘claiming’ their spots while I started on dinner. That was how it went almost every night. Sure they’d claim things for themselves but food had to be shared between the group every night. It was one of the rules. Sure game was an exception but food we found on the road, rooting through houses or pillaging from people was shared with the group.

It was mainly canned food, easy cook food or food that didn’t need to be cooked that got shared. Things like packets of noodles or easy cook rice could be claimed. Or if you were me, if you snuck the food when no one was looking you could keep it for yourself. I was good at that, taking things without claiming them because I never got questioned over what I took.

I had finished handing out the food, taking my own bowl – the food portion for me was less than everyone else – when Joe’s hand grabbed my wrist, stopping me from eating. I guess I knew what was coming.

“Not tonight. You lied.” Joe stated looking around the group at the others. He was deciding which one of them would be getting my food. It was always like this. “Give your food to Daryl.” I sighed, getting up from my knees, making my way to the newest member of the group. I closed my eyes before dropping before him, holding out my bowl, waiting for him to take it.

“Here,” I mumbled waving the bowl in front of him waiting for him to take it. He didn’t reach out for it like I thought he would, he just stared up at me, his eyes confused. If it was one of the others they would have taken it by now. I glanced over to Joe, seeing that he wasn’t happy about this, before shooting back to look at Daryl. “Please take it,” I whispered feeling the tightness in my throat grow as I thought about the consequences if he didn’t take it. “ _Take it!_ ” I blinked harshly trying to fight the tears as they threatened to fall. I couldn’t be weak, not when Joe was watching. I guess Daryl must have seen something in my eyes then because he slowly reached out, taking the bowl from me. “Thank you,” I muttered weakly, pushing myself up and walking over to Joe, sitting down beside him, crossing my legs, sitting straight, and resting my hand on my knees.

I sat still, keeping my eyes directly in front of me, which happened to be on Daryl as Joe and the others ate their food. I didn’t move, didn’t speak, and just stayed a still as I could so I wouldn’t draw attention to myself.

Ten minutes later, Joe stood, his hand waved me up and I knew what was coming. I sighed, taking in a deep breath as I stood on my feet, pulling off my army jacket and dark green shirt, bracing myself for the pain. I cringed as I heard the belt buckle hit the ground, keeping my eyes fixed on Daryl. He was my focal point tonight and I could only hope I wouldn’t see pleasure on his face like I had seen on the others before. I needed him to keep a straight face so I could get through this. If I cried it carried on. If I sucked it up, I’d get away with sixteen lashes. I think Joe thought it was poetic, hitting me with his belt sixteen times because it was my age. For him it showed that he was a strong, powerful leader but for me it was painful and cruel.

When the first hit came I felt the metal of the belt bite into my skin. I jumped forward slightly but kept staring at Daryl. Something changed in his eyes as the belt hit me again and I wondered what it was.

At first I determined he was shocked, the wideness of his eyes alerting me to the confusion and shock but then I saw them wash over with anger. His body tensed and I could see that he was fighting the urge to jump up and stop Joe. I shook my head quickly, warning him that it wouldn’t be a good idea and sucked in my breath as three strikes beat down on my back in a quick session.

Joe would never calculate the strikes. He’d like to keep them a surprise, changing the time, pace and strength he used every time.

I should have been ready for the pain, but the pain always hit, even if Joe did this every night. He’d only hit me with his belt when I questioned him or argued against him too many times in one day. Today had been one of those days, questioning him in front of the others, showing up and challenging him on his power. In his eyes I deserved this tonight.

It must have been every day that I was caught questioning him, there hadn’t gone a day without a beating. Or, he could just be a sadist, in a non-sexual way and enjoy inflicting pain on me, as I was the weakest of the group

On twelve I locked eyes with Daryl again, seeing that he’d clenched his jaw and was looking away. At least he wasn’t like the others. At least he wasn’t like Len. I knew what he did after these beatings. He wasn’t truly quiet when he beat one out behind the trees. There had been more than one time I had caught him looking at me when he did it.

Would it be hard to believe that he was a cop before all this started? He told Joe he got into some trouble a couple of weeks before the rotters took over. Were his pedophile ways what got him into trouble? Sixteen. I took a shaky breath as Joe buckled his belt again, letting me drop onto the floor with a grunt. A sob escaped me as the cool air reached my burning wounds but I knew I’d have to go to sleep without treating them. I’d do that in the morning when no one would be watching me.

* * *

 

I woke before the others, well not before Daryl. I had no idea where he was but his stuff was still by the tree he slept by last night. I grabbed my bag, shoved on my shirt and jacket before rushing off into the woods, away from the others. I needed some space and I needed to treat my back as best as I could before Joe woke up.

I was dabbing some alcohol onto a cotton ball when I heard the leaves crunch behind me. Grabbing my knife, I spun quickly, ready to attack the rotter only to find Daryl stood there. He was biting at his nail as he looked me over. I sighed, dropping the knife and picking up the cotton ball, trying to reach my back where I knew the bleeding marks were. They were out of reach this time, not giving me enough range to wipe them.

A hand on my shoulder had me tensing up but I relaxed when Daryl took the cotton ball from me, wiping it over the marks. I clenched my teeth with the sting of alcohol but thought better about hissing out in pain. I couldn’t attract attention.

“Thank you,” I whispered to the man as he dropped the cotton ball on the floor picking up the large, sticker compress, peeling the sticky back from it and placing it carefully over the marks, protecting them from dirt and infection.

“S’nothing,” he grumbled stepping away from me, shifting his eyes around the floor. I gave him a small smile as I shoved everything back into my bag, fiddling with a pack of crackers before offering them to him. “You eat them,” he grunted nodding at the crackers instead of taking them. “Was it ‘cause of me?” he asked and I knew that he blamed himself for my beating.

“No,” I chuckled, pulling a cracker from the pack, eating it quickly when I realised how hungry I was. “That was my fault. I talk too much, argue with Joe all the time. He doesn’t like it when I argue.”

“He shouldn’t hit ya,” Daryl muttered pulling at the crossbow as it hung at his side.

“He’s my uncle, I guess he has the right too. He saved me, brought me along with him and kept me protected since the outbreak. I owe him my life, the last thing I should be doing is arguing with him.” I announced feeling ashamed that I wold even speak these words.

“You owe him nothing. Family should care for family.” He argued letting some anger out as he spoke. I was confused about this man. I thought he was one to stay quiet, but here he was talking to me as if we’d known each other our whole lives.

“He gave me two options. Stay and live with the rules or leave and allow myself to get claimed.” I bit my lip as I thought about the second option. I couldn’t let that happen. “If I stay with him, I get protected, they can’t touch me but as soon as I decided to leave, anyone of them can claim me. Do you know what they do to women? It’s horrifying, disgusting and animalistic. I can’t let them do that to me. Do you understand that?” I asked him wiping at my tears as I become angry with myself. Daryl just looked at me, didn’t bother to say anything as his eyes travelled along my face. “You want some advice about this group? Leave. You aren’t one of them Daryl, I can see that. They take everything pure and innocent and destroy it. You’re not like them.” I whispered to him, shrugging my shirt back on before zipping up my jacket and throwing on my bag. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I added before walking off back towards the group, hoping they’d believe that I’d gone to freshen up.


	2. Down With The Dead

I should have stayed away like Joe told me to but I was curious. What was this guy like? The one we had been chasing for three days. The guy that had killed Lou without a weapon? Joe had become obsessed with him and he’d yet to meet the guy. I knew why he was doing it, trying to keep the guys following him by giving them something to chase.

I kinda figured that they were after more when they looked bored after beating Len to death. I was happy the guy was gone but they could have done it in a more humane way, instead they let him choke on his own blood. Of course they shot him in the head with one of his own arrows before he could turn into a rotter.

“Oh, dearie me.” Joe’s voice echoed out causing me to pause as I leant against the tree watching. The guy he was after wasn’t alone, there was a woman with him and I figured there was someone else in the car what with Dan going up to the window. “You screwed up, asshole. You hear me? You screwed up.” He chuckled and I knew he was proud that he’d caught this guy. What did he want a fucking medal? “Today is a day of reckoning, sir. Restitution. A balancing of the whole damn universe. Shit, and I was thinking of turning in for the night on New Year's Eve.” God could he be more of a prick? “Now who's gonna count down the ball dropper with me, huh? Ten Mississippi.” I should stop him really but I didn’t know how. “Nine Mississippi.” If I went out there, he’d only beat me down and still kill those people. “Eight Mississippi.” It had happened before.

“Joe!” Daryl, my heart fluttered at his voice and it wasn’t because I was harbouring some crush on him. I was happy to hear his voice because I thought he’d left. “Hold up.”

“You're stopping me on eight, Daryl.” Joe asked but I was more focused on the look Daryl had on his face. Did he … did he know them?

“Just hold up.”

“This is the guy that killed Lou, so we got nothing to talk about.” I couldn’t hear who spoke out against Daryl but I knew it was one of the followers, probably Harley, he was always licking Joe’s ass.

“The thing about nowadays is we got nothing but time. Say your piece, Daryl.” I sometimes wondered how I was related to Joe. I knew my mom was his sister and knew he only took me with him because he loved her so much but other than that we had nothing in common.

“These people, you're gonna let 'em go. These are good people.” Daryl told him, looking to the guy and girl as they sat guns to their heads.

“Now, I think Lou would disagree with you on that. I'll, of course, have to speak for him and all 'cause your friend here strangled him in a bathroom.” Joe argued and I knew that this was going to take a downfall to the worst. I knew that tone in Joe’s voice. It meant bad things were going to happen.

“You want blood, I get it. Take it from me, man. Come on.” Daryl muttered and the way he casually offered himself made me realise that he’d taken a few hits before. It explained why he hated watching Joe beat me and how he could patch me up when it was needed. Daryl had been abused sometime in his life. I guess it took one to know one.

“This man killed our friend.” Joe started, “You say he's good people. See, now that right there, is a lie. It's a lie!” I felt my heart plummet in my chest at those words. I knew what they meant. “Teach him, fellas. Teach him all the way.”

“No!” the guy Daryl had tried to save called out as Daryl was pulled to the floor, Harley and Billy beating him.

“Come here, boy.” I heard Dan call out dragging someone out of the car. The boy looked older than me by at least a year or two but even as he thought against Dan he couldn’t get free. I felt dread run through me when I knew what Dan had planned for him.

“You leave him be!” Apparently this guy knew what was going to happen as well. I couldn’t just let this happen. I’d sat on the side lines too many times, watching as they prayed in the weak, thankful that it wasn’t myself but this time, this time I’d have to stop them. “Listen, it was me. It was just me.”

“See, now that's right. That's not some damn lie.” Joe cooed into the man’s ear as he pressed the gun closer to his head. “Look, we can settle this. We're reasonable men. First, we're gonna beat Daryl to death. Then we'll have the girl. Then the boy. Then I'm gonna shoot you and then we'll be square.” This was it. This was me sticking my neck out for some strangers.

“Joe! Stop!” I shouted running out from the woods and to his side, grabbing hold of the arm that didn’t hold the gun. “Stop it!” I screamed at him pulling at him, trying to get him away from this guy. Joe sent his elbow into my stomach before pushing me to the floor.

“Shut your trap Bunny!” he snapped sending a kick to my side as he turned back to the guy. My eyes settled on the boy Dan was standing over, throwing him to the floor as he struggled to unbuckle his belt.

“Dan stop!” I shouted pulling his attention away from the boy for a few seconds. A shot rang out as the guy head butted Joe only to be punched in the face by my uncle. The fight between the two of them went on with Joe beating on the guy but my eyes were on Dan as he struggled with the boy. The boy put up a good fight and I could tell that he was strong.

“What the hell are you gonna do now, sport?” I heard Joe call out as he held the guy at arm’s length obviously getting the best over him. I lifted my eyes up to them watching as the guy leant forwards, ripping his teeth into Joe’s neck.

I didn’t know how I felt about it. Watching the last of my family get torn apart by a human but I was feeling guilty. Guilty because I was feeling happy and I was happy because I was free.

Joe dropped to the floor, struggling for his breath as he bled out but I watched a the guy that killed him, pulled out his knife and stalked towards Dan. I could only assume that the boy was probably this guy’s son or was close to him. I watched him shove the knife into Dan the first time before looking away and down at my uncle.

I crawled towards him, seeing his eyes shift towards me as he reached up to his neck. He was trying to tell me something, I could see that in his eyes.

“Bun-ny,” he choked out his hand slowly trailing towards me, tugging on the knife on my belt. Oh. That’s what he wanted. I grabbed my knife with a shaking hand as I gripped it tightly. I should kill him. It should be me but as I looked at him I knew that he didn’t deserve it.

“No,” I whispered out, dropping the knife to the floor as I crawled closer to him. “You don’t deserve it. I can’t kill you,” I mumbled feeling the tears roll down my cheeks as I looked at him. “After everything. Every beating I took from you. Every slap, every slash, every damn thing. You really think I’m going to put you out of your misery? Your pain? I’d rather let you suffer!” I spat at him pushing away from him, pulling my knees up to my chest, wrapping my arms around me as I rested my head against my knees.

I don’t know how long I sat there, listening to Dan getting gutted and Joe choking to death but the fear I had felt since the outbreak washed away. I felt lighter, happier and I knew I had to thank these people for that. They had helped me escape something I wouldn’t have been able to get out of.

“Whoa, whoa Rick stop!” Daryl yelled and I lifted my head to see what had the guy shouting to see that the man that had killed Joe and Dan was coming towards me, a murderous look on his face. I felt fear again then but it quickly disappeared when Daryl stepped in front of me. “Not her Rick, not her.”

“She was with them!” the man I now knew as Rick spat out his eyes locking with mine as he tried to get passed Daryl.

“Na brother, she wasn’t.” he stated resting his hand on Rick’s shoulder stopping him from getting closer. “She wasn’t one of them. Trust me I know.” Rick paused, his jaw clenching before he lowered his shoulders, nodding his head.

“What’s your name?” he asked me stepping around Daryl, handing him the knife when the hunter went to stop him. “What’s your name?” he repeated when I didn’t answer. How could I answer? This man was going to kill me a few seconds ago.

“Bunny,” Daryl grunted stepping closer, dropping down until my eyes locked with his. “Her name’s Bunny.” He told his friend but I couldn’t help but flinch at the name.

“August-Flynn,” I whispered looking from Daryl to Rick. The two of them were frowning and I could see that Daryl looked curious at my words. I pulled my arms away from my legs, pushing myself up so I was standing before looking at Rick. “My name,” I said raising my voice so he could hear me clearly. “Is August-Flynn.”

* * *

 

I was watching them. They were watching me. I was putting them on edge but surely they could understand that they put me in the same place?

“She’s quiet,” Rick muttered to Daryl but I could hear him well from where I sat. The sun was already coming up and although I had been offered to sit in the car with Rick’s son Carl and Michonne I declined. I’d rather be out in the open where I could run away if needed.

“Na, she ain’t,” Daryl replied shifting his eyes to me as he looked back to Rick pulling a face. “She sure as hell’s got a lot to say.”

“I ain’t hearing her speak,” Rick announced flicking his eyes to me before looking to Daryl. The two of them weren’t really good at speaking quietly but I guess they didn’t really care what was heard.

“Her uncle, Joe, he hit her every time she spoke out. At night, he’d make her watch everyone eat and then after he’d finished he’d whip her with his belt.” Daryl told him, biting at his nail as he cast his eyes towards me again. “She’s been through enough.” Rick turned his head towards me then, a curious look on his face as he watched me carefully.

“I remember you,” he muttered speaking to me this time as he shifted his body towards me. “You were on the porch of the house. Someone asked you to make them a sandwich. He hit you, when you told him you couldn’t. Was that him?” Rick asked nodding towards the dead body of my uncle. I nodded my head at his words feeling myself drop back into routine even though I knew Rick wouldn’t hit me for speaking. “How old are you?”

“Sixteen,” I told him tugging my army jacket closer to me as a breeze tickled my skin.

“Carl’s seventeen, eighteen soon.” He supplied, I think he was trying to make me feel more relaxed around him. “Did they ever touch you? Like they were gonna do to him?” Or I guess he was building up to that question.

“No, Joe wouldn’t allow it,” I admitted shifting my eyes to Daryl knowing he had seen what Len was like.

“Yeah but they sure as hell wanted to,” Daryl grumbled lighting a cigarette and taking a long pull from it. “You should have seen them. Jerking off when she got beat. Fucking disgusting.” So I guess he picked up on that as well.

“How long were you with them?” Rick asked anger flashing through his eyes at Daryl’s words. I shrugged my shoulders not really wanting to talk about the dead group anymore. “August, I need to know these things.” His words angered me. He didn’t need to know. He wanted to know. He wanted to know everything about me so there were no secrets but he didn’t need to know.

“You don’t need to know!” I spat at him, stumbling to my feet, grabbing my bag and shouldering it before walking away from them. I didn’t need to stay with them anymore. I was free now.

“August!” Rick called out making me stop as I turned to face him. He was on his feet, ready to come after me but I knew that if he knew everything he’d let me walk away.

“I don’t have to stay here! I’m free now, I can go!” I shouted at him waving a hand between the two of us. “I don’t need you and you don’t need me. Leave me be!”

“I can’t let you go out there alone.” He argued and I could hear that parental tone in his voice. It was the same tone he used with Carl even though his son was basically a man.

“I can manage out there on my own! You don’t know what I had to go through with them! A few rotters won’t be a problem.” I cried out remembering the horrors I had faced while travelling with the group.

“Tell me!” Rick ordered not bothering to keep his voice down. I noticed that Michonne and Carl had gotten out of the car now, looking at me as I face off with their leader. “Tell me what you’re hiding!”

“You want to know? You really want to know?” I asked him dropping my bag onto the floor, pulling off my jacket and shirt. It left me in my camisole but I knew he could already see the markings on my arms and chest. I turned slowly, letting him see the same, angry red marks on my back before tuning to face him again. “If I spoke out, he’d hit me. If I lied, he’d hit me. Any mistake I made out there, he’d hit me but each night, every night he’d take off his belt and pelt me with it. It started with fourteen hits but soon I turned fifteen. A whole year I suffered through fifteen pelts and then I became sixteen. Have you ever been hit with a belt? Sometimes the metal buckle catches your skin, sometimes it rips into your body, leaving marks that take forever to heal. They scar and they leave ugly marks. It would be the same every night and I’d have to go through the pain because it was a hell of a lot better than what the others got.”

“Stop,” he muttered softly but I shook my head at his words. If he wanted the truth, I’d give it to him.

“I had a choice. I could chose to shut my mouth and live with it or I could leave and let them claim me. I’ve seen women get claimed before. They’d drag them out into the woods or an abandoned building and they’d beat them. They’d beat them until they couldn’t move and then, then they’d rape them. They didn’t care as long as they got pleasure from it. But you know what was worse. After that, all that pain, they’d steal from them and leave them for the rotters. I had to watch it every time. You think I wanted to go through that? I chose to suffer at the hand of Joe every night so I wouldn’t turn out like those people. They did it to children too. No one was free of them. A man, they’d beat him, rape him, steal from him and leave him to die. A child was the same story. To them it didn’t matter who you were as long as you could be claimed. But me, I was free from that because I was his niece. I got a free pass as long as I took every hit, every leer and every scream. You think I want to be here today? I’m not what I used to be. I can barely stand here without become afraid that you’ll march over here and whip me because I spoke out.” I cried wiping the tears away as I looked to him. He wanted honestly and that’s what he’s going to get. “I can’t live with that fear anymore. I can’t stay here.” I could see that he wasn’t expecting that but I knew it was enough to keep him from making me stay. With one last look at him I tugged on my shirt and jacket, picked up my bag and started walking away.

“August!” a new voice I hadn’t heard before called out to me making me stop once again. I needed to go. The presence of someone behind me had me turning around. “I want you to stay,” he whispered giving me a look that had my heart clenching. Now that I saw him in the light it was safe to say that Carl was definitely looking like the eighteen year old he nearly was. I took him in carefully, noting the way he was favouring his right side and guessed that it had something to do with how Dan had managed to get him last night. If he was injured then he wouldn’t be able to fight against someone attacking him. I knew that fighting against the rotters was hard with injuries but fighting against a human who had more strength and control over their actions was harder. He’d be able to take out a rotter fine but it’d be a struggle against a human. “I need you to stay,” he whispered and something in his eyes made me give in.

I could see that he was broken. Last night must have been hard on him but I knew it ran deeper than that. I wonder if we could be two broken people trying to fix each other in this world.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading xx


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